She is still scrutinizing my face. Her hand lifts to trace the curve of my jaw.
“I…I was surprised, that’s all.” Her hand falls back down to her side. “I’ve never seen that type of…violence before.”
“I know, and I’m sorry, and I never want you to experience that again. I promised that I would take care of you and –”
“And you did,” Elia finishes for me. She flashes me one of her radiant smiles and my heart thrums a little. “You saved me and the crew. And the ship. And this whole trip.”
She laughs. “Here I was assuming that the hunt for relics was an easy job. Of course you run into trouble. Of course you know how to fight. You spent every morning training with Ginna and Hanson. I guess I should have put two and two together.”
“I should have explained everything better so this wouldn’t come as a shock. You’d be surprised at how often these kinds of things happen to us. Once people realize we found or are searching for a relic, they assume we are fair game.”
She nods slowly. “It makes sense. I was…taken aback. I don’t like fighting or violence. I saw enough of it in the Traps.”
“Me neither.”
That response surprises her.
“Why do you do this job, then? It’s a more involved job than I had thought, and if you don’t enjoy that aspect of it, why are you still a Hunter?”
The question catches me off guard. My thumb moves back and forth more rapidly across the back of Elia’s hand. There are many different answers to her question, and I’m not sure which to choose.
I close my eyes briefly before answering with the safest, but still honest, answer. “It doesn’t matter if I like it or not. I owe the King my life. I told you my story – I’m forever in his debt.”
I scoff. “Sacrificing your entire life for something you don’t even like isn’t the same as him being a decent person. He provided for his own stepson, as he should have done. A child doesn’t owe a parent for doing the bare minimum. That’s the role of being a parent.”
Silence stretches between us.
“It’s…it’s not like that. It’s complicated.”
“Doesn’t seem to be.” She crosses her arms, careful to not brush her wound.
I look away.
My relationship with the Kingiscomplicated. I don’t expect others to understand.
“I was scared that I lost you,” I whisper, trying to move the topic elsewhere.
Elia squeezes my hand tightly. “Never. But maybe you should consider something else, after this trip. Make this your last hunt.”
“I’ll consider it,” I acknowledge softly, but we both know her suggestion fell on deaf ears.
“At least I know that a kraken wouldn’t stand a chance against you, afterall.”
I don’t know how she can still joke after seeing me slaughter the men so coldly, but I’m thankful regardless.
“I told you I would keep you safe. Always. Now get some rest. I’ll be back later once I help with the mess upstairs.”
I kiss her on her forehead and leave her to sleep, rejoining Ginna and the rest of the crew in their clean up efforts.
“Ginna, do you like being a Hunter?” I ask her, after heaving the last wrapped body into the sea beyond.
She shrugs. “Sure. I mean this part isn’t fun,” she admits, waving a hand to some of the crew who are scrubbing blood from the planks. “But I like traveling to new places. I like the adventure and excitement of being on a new hunt. And I like to think I’m a pretty decent swordswoman.”
When I don’t immediately respond, Ginna prods me. “What brought that question on, Cal?”
“Something Elia asked. It’s nothing.”
“I thought you loved this job. You practically wanted to be a Hunter since you were born.”
